myTax opens for 2025–26 returns on 1 July 2026 — but the smart move is not to lodge yet. Every July, the ATO's online return goes live and thousands of Australians rush to lodge on day one chasing a fast refund. The problem: on 1 July, most of your pre-fill data isn't in yet. Lodge too early and you either leave money on the table or trigger an ATO amendment weeks later. This guide walks through when to actually lodge, the deadlines that matter, the exact myGov steps, and the one thing myTax will never do for you — find your deductions.
When myTax opens — and when you should actually lodge
The 2025–26 return becomes available in myTax from 1 July 2026. But “available” is not the same as “ready”. Your return is only as accurate as the pre-fill data behind it, and that data arrives in stages:
- Employer income (Single Touch Payroll): employers have until 14 July 2026 to finalise your income statement. Until they do, it shows as “Not tax ready”.
- Bank interest, dividends, health fund and managed fund data: reported to the ATO separately, often landing several weeks after 1 July.
That's why late July is the practical sweet spot: by then most income statements read “Tax ready” and the third-party data has landed. If you lodge on 1 July against half-loaded pre-fill, one of two things happens — you under-report income and the ATO amends your return (and can ask for the money back), or you miss income you'd have reconciled properly a few weeks later. Waiting a fortnight is almost always the calmer path.
Run the Velofy Tax Deductions Calculator to estimate your 2025–26 tax and see which profession-specific deductions apply to you — so you walk into myTax knowing what to claim, not guessing.
Free · ATO 2025–26 · 100% in your browserThe deadlines that matter
There are two deadlines, depending on how you lodge:
| How you lodge | Deadline for the 2025–26 return |
|---|---|
| Yourself, via myGov / myTax | 31 October 2026 (rolls to Mon 2 November, as the 31st is a Saturday) |
| Through a registered tax agent | Generally 15 May 2027 — if you're on the agent's client list before 31 October 2026 |
The tax-agent extension is real, but conditional: you must be registered with the agent before 31 October, with no overdue prior-year returns and no outstanding tax debt in collection. If you've drifted onto an agent late, you may not get the later date.
What happens if you lodge late
If you miss the deadline, the ATO can apply a Failure to Lodge (FTL) penalty: one penalty unit for every 28 days (or part of that period) your return is overdue, up to a maximum of five units. The dollar value of a penalty unit is indexed periodically, so check the current figure on the ATO Penalty units page rather than relying on last year's number. In practice, the ATO often doesn't penalise a late return when you're owed a refund — but that's discretion, not a rule, and unpaid tax debt separately attracts the General Interest Charge. The simplest strategy: lodge on time, or talk to the ATO or a registered tax agent before the deadline if you can't.
How to lodge via myGov and myTax — step by step
Lodging online is free and, once your pre-fill is ready, usually takes 20–40 minutes. Here's the flow:
- Log in to myGov at my.gov.au (or create an account).
- Link the ATO service if you haven't already. You'll need your Tax File Number plus one identity check — a recent Notice of Assessment, a bank account recorded with the ATO, or an ATO-issued reference number.
- Go to ATO online services → Tax → Lodge → Income tax, and start your 2025–26 return.
- Review the pre-filled income. Check every figure against your own records — payslips, bank statements, dividend statements. Pre-fill is usually right, but it's your return: you're responsible for what's in it.
- Add your deductions. This is the part myTax leaves blank (more below).
- Check the live tax estimate. myTax shows your estimated refund or amount owing as you go, with the 2% Medicare Levy and Low Income Tax Offset already applied.
- Submit and save your lodgement receipt number.
- Wait for your assessment. If you're due a refund, it typically arrives within about two weeks by bank transfer to the account on record.
The one thing myTax won't do for you: deductions
This is the single most important thing to understand about lodging online. myTax pre-fills your income. It does not add your deductions. The ATO knows what you earned — your employer, bank and share registry reported it. It does not know what you spent to earn that income. That part is entirely on you.
Things myTax will not fill in for you include:
- Working-from-home running costs (the fixed rate is 70c per hour for 2025–26, covering electricity, gas, phone, internet and stationery in one rate)
- Work-related vehicle and travel
- Self-education and professional development related to your current role
- Tools, equipment, uniforms and protective clothing
- Union fees, professional memberships and subscriptions
- Personal deductible super contributions and investment expenses
- Charitable donations to deductible gift recipients
Every one of these has to be entered manually — and every one needs records. The ATO can review a return for up to five years, so keep receipts, logbooks and a record of your work-from-home hours. Claim what you're genuinely entitled to; don't guess, and don't claim what you can't substantiate.
The Velofy EOFY Deduction Checklist lists what to claim by profession — nurse, teacher, tradie, IT, office and more — so you can pull your receipts together before you open myTax. Pair it with the Tax Deductions Calculator to see the dollar impact.
Free · Profession-specific · Print-readyWhat's different about the 2025–26 return
Good news: for most people, the mechanics haven't changed. The 2025–26 return uses the same Stage 3 rates that applied last year:
| Taxable income | Rate on this band |
|---|---|
| $0 – $18,200 | Nil |
| $18,201 – $45,000 | 16% |
| $45,001 – $135,000 | 30% |
| $135,001 – $190,000 | 37% |
| $190,001 + | 45% |
One point that trips people up: the cut to a 15% bottom rate applies from 1 July 2026 — so it lands on your 2026–27 return next year, not the 2025–26 return you're lodging now. This year's return still uses 16% on the $18,201–$45,000 band. The 2% Medicare Levy applies as usual, the Low Income Tax Offset (up to $700) is applied automatically, and if you have a HECS-HELP debt or private-health considerations, those are reconciled at lodgement too.
If you're carrying a study loan, your compulsory repayment is worked out on your income at lodgement — you can model it with the HECS repayment calculator. And if your income is above the Medicare Levy Surcharge threshold without private hospital cover, check the Medicare Levy Surcharge calculator before you lodge, because that surcharge is reconciled on your return.
After you lodge
Once you submit, the ATO issues a Notice of Assessment confirming your final position. If you're owed a refund, it's usually paid within about two weeks to your nominated bank account. If you spot a mistake after lodging — a forgotten deduction, a piece of pre-fill that arrived late — you can amend your return through myTax; you don't have to get it perfect on the first pass. And if you end up owing tax, note the due date on your Notice of Assessment, because unpaid amounts attract interest.